Solar heating system

ABSTRACT

A heating system includes a fluid circuit with a pump and filter for heating water for a pool. A valved bypass circuit includes a heat absorption unit which can be included in the circuit when desired. The heat absorption unit includes a relatively shallow container of thermally nonconductive material such as wood, the interior of which is lined with a layer of foamed polystyrene. The receptacle thus formed is lined on its interior with builder&#39;&#39;s foil and contains a relatively thick layer of sand in which is buried a continuous array of pipe either in sinuous configuration or, alternatively, a plurality of parallel pipe lengths extending between headers. In either configuration an inlet and outlet connection is provided so that the pump can circulate water through all of the pipe in the absorption unit. The upper exposed surface of the sand in the unit, at least, is covered with a layer of iron oxide. Alternatively, the sand can be omitted and iron oxide can be employed to fill the entire box. Finally, a layer of crystal glass closes the upper surface of the box which is then mounted so as to receive solar radiation.

United States Patent [191 Gaydos, Jr. June 11, 1974 SOLAR HEATING SYSTEM [76] Inventor: George Roy Gaydos, Jr., Rt. 1 P0. [57] ABSTRACT Box 319A, Brandywine, Md, 20613 A heating system includes a fluid circuit with a pump i and filter for heating water for a pool. A valved bypass [22] Flled June 1973 circuit includes a heat absorption unit which can be [21] App]. NO 1 366,148 included in the circuit when desired. The heat absorption unit includes a relatively shallow container of thermally nonconductive material such as wood, the [52] US. Cl. l2 6/27l interior of which is lined with a layer of foamed poly t u Styrene. The receptacle thus formed is on in- Fleld 0 Search terior builder's and contains a relatively layer of sand in which is buried a continuous array of [56] References C'ted pipe either in sinuous configuration or, alternatively, a UNITED STATES PATENTS plurality of parallel pipe lengths extending between 1,673,429 6/1928 Vinson 126/271 headers. in either configuration an inlet and outlet 2,277,31 1 3/1942 Freeman.... 6/ connection is provided so that the pump can circulate 2,3l SCOII A water through all of the in the absorption unit 3,145,707 8/1964 Thomason 126/271 The upper exposed surfaceof the Sand in the unit at Bargues 126/27] least, is covered with a layer of iron oxide. Alterna- Thomason 126/271 I. & Kaul tively, the sand can be omitted and iron oxide canv be employed to fill the entire box. Finally, a layer of crystal glass closes the upper surface of the box which is then mounted so as to receive solar radiation.

4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures MTENTEDJUM 1 1 1914 W am 1 SOLAR HEATING SYSTEM This invention relates to an apparatus for efficiently elevating the temperature of water using solar energy.

Man has long recognized that the energy of the Sun represented a vast source of power which, while .utilized by many natural processes, has not been effectively harnessed by man for performing mechanical tasks on the surface of the earth. Although several efforts to elevate the temperature of water for evaporation or other purposes have been proposed, none have achieved significant or wide acceptance, possibly because of the relatively low efficiency in the absorption process and the minimal change in water temperature obtainable.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus capable of elevating the temperature of water to, underproper circumstances, the boiling point, if desired.

Another object is to provide a system including an efficient heat absorption unit for elevating the temperature of water using asolar energy alone.

Yet another object is to provide a system for elevating the temperature'of water in a swimming pool.

Briefly described, the system of the present invention includes a body of liquid, the temperature of which is to be elevated, a liquid circulating pump, liquid conducting means for interconnecting the body of liquid and the pump in a closed loop recirculating system, and heat absorption means for receiving the solar radiation, converting it to heat, storing the heat and thereby elevating the temperature of the absorptionmeans and the liquid. The heat absorption means includes a fluid conductor passing through the heat absorption means and coupled to the liquid conducting means to form a part of the recirculating system. The heat absorption means includes a particulate heat absorbing material which substantially surrounds the liquid conductor passing through the heat absorption means, the heat absorbing material having a major surface which is exposed to the solar radiation and which comprises, at least at the major surface, material consisting of black sand which is primarily compounds of iron oxide. The entire'body of particulate material can consist of iron oxide, but at least a significant layer at the exposed surface must. The heat absorption means further includes a thermally nonconductivc container to support and retain the liquid conductor passing therethrough and the particulate material, and is covered with radiation transparent sheet such as crystal glass which forms a wall of the container adjacent the major surface of the heat absorbing material.

In order that the manner in which the foregoing and other objects are obtained in accordance with the invention can be understood in detail, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of lines 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a foreshortened plan view of a heat absorption unit showing, schematically, a typical serpentin type array; and

FIG. 5 is'a foreshortened plan view of a heat absorption unit having a header type array.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that FIG. 1 shows a body of water indicated generally at 10 which can be a swimming pool having a water inlet 11 and an outlet 12, the outlet being connected to a pipe 13 which conducts water away from'the pool under the influence of a pump 14 which normally feeds the water to a conventional filter 15v and returns the water to a conventional filter I5 and returns the water to inlet 11 through a pipe 16. This much of the system is conventional in nature, the pump and filter being employed to recirculate and continuously remove undesirable substances from the pool.

Coupled to this system is a heating apparatus including a pipe 27 which is coupled to the circulation system between the pump and filter and is provided with a valve 18 which can be manually or automatically operated but which, when opened, permits liquid to flow through pipe 17 to a heat absorption unit indicated generally at 20. The absorption unit, which will be described hereinafter in greater detail, includes internal piping which' conducts the water entering on pipe 17 through the unit and out through pipe 21 which is provided with a-check valve 22 which permits fluid flow only in the direction of arrow 23. Because of the greater resistance to fluid flow presented by filter l5, majority of the fluid will pass through heat absorption unit 20 when valve 18 is opened. Absorption unit 20 provided with a major surface 24 which is oriented in a direction to receive radiation from the Sun, the direction of solar radiation being indicated by arrows 25. The water passing through unit 20 is thus heated by this solar energy and it returned to the pool 10, elevating the temperature thereof.

Heat absorption unit 20 is illustrated in greater detail in FIGS. 2 and 3 which are sectional views to more clearly illustrate the interior construction and materials. As previously mentioned, unit 20 has a major surface 24 disposed to receive radiation, this surface being defined by a-pane of glass or other radiation transparent material. The remaining exterior portions of the absorption unit constitute a generally rectangular box 25, which box can be made-of wood as shown or molded from fiberglass or other suitable relatively rigid, thermally nonconductive opaque and durable material. The box is five sided, the remaining side being transparent as previously described, and oriented toward the Sun.

The interior of box 25 is lined on the five opaque sides with a relatively thick layer 26 of a good plastic insulating material such as foamed polystyrene, which material is light and tends not to absorb moisture. In-

side insulating layer 26 is a liner 27 of builders foil which is a double layer of highly reflective metallic foil with a tar or similar layer sandwiched between the two foil layers. This liner prevents damage to or degradation of insulating layer 26 and tends to reflect heat back 3 heat while passing therethrough. Pipe 31 can be a continuous length of pipe arranged in a serpentine fashion or it can constitute a plurality of parallel pieces of pipe connected at their ends to header members, as will be mately 4 feet b y 8 fee tin oute fdimensions and approximately 6 inches deep. The pipe is covered by about 2 inches of particulate material. The glass pane 24 is 7/16 inch flat crystal glass.

Of particular consequence in the assembly of this structure is the incorporation of a substantial layer 32 of black sand or magnetite. For reasons for which are not completely understood, the incorporation of a ferric compound and, specifically, this iron oxide compound as the upper layer of the material beneath the glass in the box vastly improves the heat absorption characteristics thereof and permits maximum utilization of that solar energy which falls upon pane 24. in fact, material 30 and 32 can all be iron oxide with no added sand, but it is particularly significant that the top one fourth inch of the portion between pipe 31 and window 24 be iron oxide for best effect.

The iron oxide compound which has been utilized primarily and found to be effective is that'colloquially referred to as black sandYand constitutes part of the tailings remaining after a gold placer mining, or gold panning, operation. The material is not truly sand in the sense of being silica compound but, instead, is an iron oxide which is largely magnetite (E 04) with titanium compounds suchas ilrn erfite (F, T,- O,) or rutile (T,- and other iron compounds, and is a naturally occurring material in for example, the geologic formations in which gold is found. The residue from the placer mining operations has been employed, and has been found to give excellent results, in a structure as abovedescribed.-

Further discussions of .the black sand, as this term is used herein, can befound in Bureau of Mines information Circulars 8517 and 7000.

As previously mentioned, the pipe in the box can be appropriate diameter. The pipes are connected toeach other with a conventional adhesive, commonly used in the assembly of ABS pipe. A second header 42 is connected to pipes 40 at their opposite ends. Inlet and outlet pipes 43 and 44 are connected to headers'4l and 42, respectively. The assembly can then be placed in the preassembled structure and covered with the iron oxide material.

While certain advantageous embodiments have been chosen to illustrate the invention it will beunderstood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Asolar heating system comprising a body of liquid to be heated,

a liquid circulating pump;

liquid conducting means for interconnecting said body of liquid and said pump in a closed loop recirculating system; and I heat absorption means for receiving solar radiation and for converting to and storing heat from said radiation and for transferring the heat to the liquid,

said heat absorption means comprising pipe means coupled to said liquid conducting means to form a part of said recirculating system;

major surface of the material consisting of iron.

oxide; a thermally nonconductive container to support and retain said pipe means and said material; and

a radiation transparent sheet forming one wall of said container adjacent said major surface of said heat absorbing material.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein said pipe means includes 7 a plurality of substantially parallel pipe sections and first and second transverse header pipes, each of said header pipes being connected to one end of each of said pipe sections; and

first and second coupler pipes for connecting said first and second headers, respectively, to said liquid conducting means. I

3. A system according to claim 1 wherein saidpipe means comprises a pipe formed in a serpentine array lying substantially in a single plane. 4. A system according to claim 1 wherein a majority of said particulate material is magnetite. 

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein said pipe means includes a plurality of substantially parallel pipe sections and first and second transverse header pipes, each of said header pipes being connected to one end of each of said pipe sections; and first and second coupler pipes for connecting said first and second headers, respectively, to said liquid conducting means.
 3. A system according to claim 1 wherein said pipe means comprises a pipe formed in a serpentine array lying substantially in a single plane.
 4. A system according to claim 1 wherein a majority of said particulate material is magnetite. 